A former abortion centre in Texas has been “transformed into a place of life”, after a pro-life centre opened on the site.
Hope Pregnancy Centers bought the building after the Planned Parenthood facility closed down in the wake of new state rules.
Testing for sexually transmitted diseases will be carried out at the clinic, with plans for post-abortion medical care in the future.
Transformed
“What was once a place of death and grief where an estimated 6,400 abortions were performed has been transformed into a place of life”, said Tracy Frank, Hope Pregnancy’s Executive Director.
Frank highlighted that the organisation was looking for more money to complete the project, commenting: “Unlike Planned Parenthood, which receives government funding, faith-based nonprofits can’t thrive without donor support.”
Planned Parenthood has recently been under pressure after a string of undercover videos were released. In one, a senior doctor is shown discussing the price of babies’ vital organs over lunch.
Force
The opening in Texas comes weeks after the Governor of California signed a law forcing pro-life centres to advertise abortion.
Jerry Brown’s move means crisis pregnancy centres must put up a sign that says the state provides abortion.
The law, which goes into effect on 1 January, carries civil penalties.
Agenda
However, religious liberty organisation Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is challenging the legislation, saying California is trying to force pro-life groups to comply with a “pro-abortion agenda”.
Speaking for ADF, Elissa Graves said: “Most of the crisis pregnancy centers in California are religious organizations who are working to protect life as part of their religious beliefs”.
Last year The Christian Institute shared stories of people who had been affected by abortion in our Choose Life series.
Support
Lynn Coles now supports women suffering after an abortion, after herself having an abortion when she was 18.
She told The Christian Institute: “It’s not a religious thing to regret your abortion”, “it’s actually a human thing, a woman thing – because we’re not designed to take the lives of our children”.